A bus of Shia pilgrims was bombed on New Year's Day outside Quetta, leaving at least three dead

Hospital 'emergency'

Reports say the victims of the apparent attack - in Darin Garh, Mastung district - included women and children.

Emergency personnel rushed from the provincial capital, Quetta - about 60km (35 miles) to the north-east - to put out the flames and take the injured to hospital, reported Pakistan's Dawn newspaper.

"We have declared an emergency at hospital and doctors and paramedics are trying to save the wounded," local government official Shafqat Shahwani told AFP news agency.

It was not immediately clear what type of bomb was used or whether it was a suicide attack, provincial home secretary Asad Gilani said, according to AFP.

It is the second such attack in Balochistan this month. On New Year's Day, at least three people were killed when a suspected suicide bomber attacked a bus near the provincial capital, Quetta.

Pakistan's Express Tribune says that amid the increasing number of attacks on Shia pilgrims, security on the Quetta-Taftan highway has been beefed up and buses carrying Shia pilgrims have been escorted by security personnel.